Zekai Aksakalli

Zekai Aksakalli was a Lieutenant-General of the Turkish Land Forces who served as commander of the Turkish special forces from 2013, succeeding Khalil Soysal.

Biography
Zekai Aksakalli was a soldier in the Turkish Land Forces' special forces since 1984, and he was promoted to colonel in 2009. In 2013, he was promoted to Brigadier-General, and he helped in suppressing the 2016 Turkish coup attempt, rescuing the Turkish government from the Fethullah Gulen-inspired coup plotters. On 28 July 2016, he was promoted to Lieutenant-General due to his skilled quashing of the uprising, and he was given command of Operation Euphrates Shield on 24 August 2016, leading the offensive to liberate Jarabulus in northern Syria. 200+ Turkish soldiers, 80 tanks, and 20+ APCs took part in the offensive against the Islamic State, and the city was captured in nearly one day.